Andrei Vasilevskiy speaks with media after practicing for the first time since undergoing back surgery. Andrei Vasilevskiy surprised his coaches and the majority of his teammates on Monday when he joined them for practice at Amalie Arena. Vasilevskiy has been recovering from back surgery since Sept. 28 and is expected to make a return sometime around December 1st. The Lightning goaltender said his injury wasn’t hockey-related but instead a result of “pushing too hard” in the gym. “It’s just such a silly, silly injury and was avoidable. Same as my first surgery six, seven years ago," he said. "It was after the hard workout in the gym, the squats and overhead presses and all this bodybuilding stuff. But as I say, very avoidable and I just wasn’t smart about pushing myself too hard.” Vasilevskiy will continue to skate with his teammates and made his first road trip of the season today as the Lightning take on St. Louis and Chicago.
